無(な)しWithout, No

Although it is used almost exclusively as a suffix, なし is actually a noun that means ないこと 'thing without'. なし, or 無(な)し when using kanji, will be used after nouns that it is indicating as 'not having (A)'.

Depending on what the speaker wants to convey, なし is often partnered with the auxiliary verb だ, or its conjunctive form で. なしで will mean '(A) that is without (B)'. When connected directly to another noun, の will be required after なし. Again, this will mean '(A) that is without (B)'.

なし does not always need to be connected directly to another noun. Often, it can be used in reference to an event or thing that someone wants to skip, or avoid. In cases like this, it may be paired with the case marking particle に, to show determination to avoid something.

Caution

無(な)し is quite different to 抜(ぬ)き, another suffix-like structure that is used to convey 'without (A)'. The primary difference is in the original meanings of these words. Having a relationship with ない, なし simply means 'without'. 抜(ぬ)き comes from the う - Verb 抜(ぬ)く 'to remove'. Due to this, 抜(ぬ)き implies the intentional removal of something. Often 抜(ぬ)き and 無(な)し are interchangeable, but not always.